Useful Resources for Learning Outside the Classroom

In our experience theres a whole host of places you can look to find ideas, tools and suggestions to get you and your learners in an outdoor environment yet cover your curriculum at the same time. If you have an outdoor classroom or just a corner of the school grounds you've got what you need to excite, engage and stimulate your learners. Heres our compilation of the best places you can look to make best use of your time:

School Outdoor Learning provide resources, training and solutions to enable Schools to fully engage with and utilise their outdoor environments.

FREE support from…

The Woodland Trust:

Nature Detectives www.naturedetectives.org.uk   

Schools (lists all learning opportunities including free sapling packs for schools)
www.naturedetectives.org.uk/schools 

Green Tree Schools Award www.naturedetectives.org.uk/schools/award  

Ancient Tree Hunt www.ancient-tree-hunt.org.uk 

Forestry Commission:

Woodland Learning www.forestry.gov.uk/scotland 

Key partner in Forest Education (Forest Schools) www.foresteducation.org/ 

Other organisations:

Education Scotland, especially:

Outdoor Learning www.educationscotland.gov.uk/outdoorlearning 

KS1–KS4 Growing Schools Garden Teacher Resource Pack (and much more!)

Available to down load from: www.growingschools.org.uk/Resources/ 

Scottish Natural Heritage www.snh.org.uk/TeachingSpace 

Grounds for Learning Scotland www.ltl.org.uk/scotland/ 

RSPB Bird Identifier www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdidentifier 

Wildlife TV (in case it rains!) www.thewebbroadcastingcorporation.com 

Scottish Outdoor Access Code (primary and secondary resources)
www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/educationresources 

Creative Star Learning especially ‘I’m a Teacher get me Outside ’blog
www.creativestarlearning.co.uk/ 

Council for Learning Outside the Classroom 
www.lotc.org.uk/resources/research-category/    

Education Scotland www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningteachingandassessment/approaches/outdoorlearning/supportmaterials/resources/Research.asp    

Roger Greenaway www.reviewing.co.uk/research/links.htm    

Outdoor Ed Research and Evaluation Centre www.wilderdom.com/research.php

Books or resources packs (to buy)

Earth & Snow Walks by Steve Van Matre, The Institute for Earth Education UK

Sharing Nature with Children – Part I & II by Joseph Cornell, Deep Books

Nature’s Playground by Fiona Danks & Jo Schofield

Go Wild by Fiona Danks & Jo Schofield

Talking to the Earth by Gordon MacLellan

No Fear – Growing Up in a Risk Averse Society by Tim Gill

Natural Leaders: Environmental Games and Activities by The National Trust for

LOC Handbook by School Outdoor Learning www.schooloutdoorlearning.com 

Arbojo Packs (for Teacher led team building) by School Outdoor Learning

Expansive Education by Guy Claxton, Bill Lucas and Ellen Spencer

Mindset by Carol Dweck

Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv

Children Learning Outside the Classroom by Sue Waite

School Outdoor Learning provide resources, training and solutions to enable Schools to fully engage with and utilise their outdoor environments.